In Between Days
by thisiseveryshadeofwrong
Summary: Set after Fifa Fever, so go read that if you haven't already as this is a companion in the 'Holidays' series. Just between the World Cup ending and going home, Tony decides on his next vacation. More pointless fluff, could be T/P. COMPLETE


**If you haven't read Fifa Fever, please do. It isn't really necessary, but for the sake of this story being a companion piece it would make sense.**

**My muse struck as I was playing drums folks, back for another adventure.**

**I own nothing, at all. Guys, if you read it and like it or have feedback to give, please do because I am trying to improve my writing :)!**

_Bang. Bang. Bang. _

Tony was throwing a Fifa Recognised World Cup stress ball above the TV, aiming for the small gap between the small screen and the ceiling and letting it fall back into his lap as he sat on the couch.

"Pepper!"

"What, Tony?"

"The World Cup's over and now we have to go back to Malibu…"

"Yes Tony, that's generally what happens at the end of vacations."

"But I don't want to go home," Tony said with a grin spreading across his face and catching the ball a final time. "I wanna stay here."

"Why? Don't you miss working on the suit, the cars…Butterfingers and Dummy being annoying and generally everything you used to do?"

"That was before I discovered that if I dye my hair blue then no one talks to me…except for the odd person who just thinks I'm insane for doing it, namely you."

"Deal with it, Mr. Stark," Pepper said, turning to her bag as her phone started to ring. "I have more important things to do, like talking to…Nick Fury. It's for you, I'd say."

"My God, I hate this man."

"I'll bet he doesn't have a soft spot for you either," Pepper muttered under her breath. "Talk to him!" She whispered and motioned for him to chat.

"Nicky boy! Just the man I've been trying to get a hold of! My phone fell in the river and all that…Too hard to get a new one and I've just been swamped in work."

"Anthony Edward Stark!"

_Shit._

"Your vacation is _over_. I've booked you a plane home that you are going to get on or I'll have your arse picked up by me, me and me in a private jet with not so private press."

"What if I-"

"Shut it, Stark. Pack your bags and be at the airport in 4 hours or shit will go down your way. I've got problems all over New Mexico and I want you on standby."

Fury hung up the phone, and Tony tossed it back to Pepper.

"Jesus."

"We better get going then," Pepper said.

"Yeah, that was essentially what he was getting at through a tirade of anger," Tony smirked.

"Tony, c'mon. Let's get home and then you can do whatever it is he wants you to do – I'd rather that you get home the easy way than for him to come and kick you back."

"Which wouldn't happen, seeing as I AM Iron Man…Dun, dun, dun dun dun-" 

"Shut up with that song!"

"Black Sabbath wrote it just for me," said Tony smugly. "It's my theme tune."

"It was written about forty years ago you moron, and 38 years before you became Iron Man."

"They knew I was coming."

"Pack. Now."

**On the plane back to Malibu**

"Pepper, I'm turning the TV on," Tony yelled. "Don't care what you think."

"Great Tony, have at it,"

"Right, like I'm supposed to just do it when you don't complain. You're no fun!" 

"I'm doing my _and_ your jobs. Give me a little time." 

"Do you know what you could do? Not do any work, seeing as we're flying across the world back home."

"And let SI fall into crap. Yes, that sounds like something I would do."

"Fine, have at it."

Tony put the television on mute, just in time to see a replay of the Spain/Netherlands game playing. Lying back in his chair he sat and whiled the time away watching Holland turn soccer into rugby, and to marvel at the finesse of the Spanish team.

Yet another thing that he couldn't do when he was younger due to a lack of coordination at the small age of seven was to play sport. No matter how he moved his legs, the always went in the opposite direction. His growing slowing down and ceasing had improved matters dramatically – now he was flying around in an iron suit.

An ad break came on – a man stealing from a jewellery shop and the owner (Tony assumed) was yelling for someone to _wake up!_

_What the hell?_

The camera panned to a security guard sitting on a chair outside the store as the thief ran away and the words 'don't rely on anyone next month' glared on the screen.

"Tour De France…"

The plane touched down at the Stark private airfield and Tony rushed off the plane into the waiting limo, waving goodbye to Pepper as she headed to her own apartment.

"Happy, home as fast as you can man, hit the gas."

"Yes, sir,"

Arriving within 20 minutes of touch down at Tony's mansion, Happy grabbed Tony's bags and put them at the front door, waving goodbye and getting back into the Rolls Royce. Tony scanned his hand and walked inside.

"JAVIS, pull up a plan of the next month."

"Immediately sir," JARVIS's cool voice replied, and he complied quickly.

"You have several meetings over the next week and have to be back up for Nick Fury for 14 days."

"14 days is a fortnight, why didn't you just say that…?"

"Apologies sir, my mistake. You have to be back up for Nick Fury for a _fortnight_."

"It was a rhetorical question, don't worry."

"Yes, sir."

"Okay JARVIS. Book me a hotel room in Bordeaux in three weeks' time. Don't worry about pretending it's not me, I don't care this time."

"Why is this sir?"

"I'm having another vacation."

"Already?"

"Yep, I'm in the mood for the Tour De France."

**Fin. R&R please :) **

**Also, a note to everyone who has reviewed: thanks heaps, I really appreciate it!**


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